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Against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone this past October, Till (16-0-1 MMA, 4-0-1 UFC) was the guy who seized the initiative from a veteran fighter. A first-round knockout rocketed his career and led him to a fight with Thompson (14-2-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC), who as the No. 2 fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings may be the gatekeeper to a title shot.

But as No. 9-ranked Till points out, there are different plans for different opponents. And while his most recent performance may have given the impression that he’s a quick finisher, he said his work against Thompson might not turn out the same.

“Stephen believes I’m a very aggressive fighter, but I’m not that fighter at all,” Till said. “Just because I came out and starched ‘Cowboy’ in the first round doesn’t mean I’m that kind of fighter. He’s going to get a surprise, and I just think I’ve got a little bit more than him in my head.

“It’s not about physical or who punches hard. It’s all about (mentality), and I think I’ve got a little more. As much as he is 10 years older than me, I just know I’ve got something more than him.”

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Thompson has been involved in several tactical fights during his UFC career. Two title shots against champ Tyron Woodley were roundly booed by fans. But Till is confident that even if he and Thompson aren’t brawling, they’ll still deliver an entertaining fight.

“The type of fight that me and Stephen are going to have is a fight that fans will appreciate, no matter what,” he said. “If this does turn into five rounds of tippy-tapping – which it won’t, because I don’t tippy-tap; when I throw a punch, I try to punch a (expletive) hole in someone’s face, so there’s a difference – it will be an appreciated fight.

“The only thing that can happen is I lie on top of him for five rounds or he does that to me, so I (expletive) hope he doesn’t try and take me down.”

Till’s ultimate aim is to surprise Thompson, whom he believes looks down upon him as a potential title contender.

“I want to go in there and prove to him, don’t underestimate me like you do,” he said. “Don’t be thinking it’s just some fight that you’ve had to take to stay at No. 1 because I’m not that opponent. I’m not just someone who’s arrived at the UFC to be another name. I’ve arrived to be the greatest.”